


A Promise for Life

by maderi



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-28 16:21:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17790719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maderi/pseuds/maderi
Summary: Shiro remember how it all started, the events that brought them to where they were today; the happiest day of Shiro's life.





	A Promise for Life

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PrincelyAffairs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincelyAffairs/gifts).



> Happy Valentine's PrincelyAffairs, hope your day was magical! ♥️

“What are you doing?” Shiro asked the mauve colored fluff ball sitting behind him. But the grunt he got in reply before the raspy tongue continued its...grooming?, wasn’t at all satisfying Shiro’s curiosity. 

Sendak, Zarkon’s number one commander, had been eying him intently since the first time he’d entered the gladiatorial circle. His eyes had been more ablaze than the emperor himself, making a dreadful chill run down Shiro’s spine. 

Sendak had come to visit him that night. The huge Galra looming in the doorway to his small cell, just standing there, staring. This happened every single night after Shiro’s fights. The commander would just stand there, hands folded behind his back as he stared directly at Shiro. After quite a while, he would turn around and leave Shiro in the darkness to wonder. 

As time went by, Shiro learned to ignore the imposing Commander. The Galra never said anything, only grunting in reply as the guard outside the cell door, informing him of the time. As the days, weeks stretched by, Shiro came to appreciate the odd company the Galra Commander offered. 

Shiro was still wary of the big Galra’s presence, hearing on a daily basis how merciless the Commander was. He’d never been privy to see just how cruel he was, but according to the other prisoners, Sendak’s madness almost matched that of the emperor Zarkon’s. But as time passes, Sendak never moved, never spoke. HE never posed a threat to Shiro. 

Then the day came where Shiro, the emperor's gladiator champion, was almost beaten. The blade that forcefully took his right arm, left icy needles where it had struck him. Howling in pain seemed to be the only thing Shiro could do as a red hot haze clouded his vision. To this day, he never knew how he’d won the fight. 

Winner or not, he’d fallen from the emperor’s good grace. After the match, the guards had thrown him into his little cold cell, bruised and slowly bleeding to death. But just before Shiro passed out, certain death on his mind, a pair of softly muscled arms lifted him up. His face fell onto a solid chest plate, his nose tickled by the softest fur he’d ever felt. Shiro couldn’t help but nuzzle his nose into the fur, breathing in the odd by the strangely calming scent. 

When he awoke days later, it was to find himself in the arms of Commander Sendak. The huge Galra lay curled around him, purring softly in his sleep as heat radiated from his furred body. Shiro fell in and out of consciousness for days, the huge Galra always curled around him whenever he woke up. 

Some silly side of Shiro felt safe in the Commander’s embrace, some touch-starved side of him longed to be held like this. The stories he’d heard of Sendak always played as a small warning in the back of Shiro’s head though, but for the life of him, he couldn’t seem to care less as he snuggled deeper into the warm fur. 

The thoughts never left the back of his mind though. The stories that this particular Galra was a mad man, only surpassed by the emperor himself. He was bloodthirsty, unforgiving, rude, wild and mean. He thrived on his enemies last breaths, at least that’s what the other prisoners told him as it didn’t go unnoticed that the Galra visited him. 

Shiro had never actually had much to do with the Commander, apart from the Galra’s hour-long staring session after his gladiator fights, Shiro never saw Sendak outside of the arena. He’d never spoken to Shiro and in turn, Shiro had never spoken to the Galra. 

“Do you find yourself in pain, Champion?” The deep rumble of the Commander’s voice vibrated through the massive barrel chest that Shiro rested against. 

Were he in pain? Shiro didn’t know the answer to this question. His whole body felt numb like it was missing from his neck down, his right arm throbbed something fierce, but other than that, he didn’t think he was in pain. 

A small shake of his head resulted in his body being cradled closer to the strong body of....Sendak? And if possible, the heat radiating from the Commander’s big body, intensified as he was held closer. 

The pull of his tired body proved too big a challenge for Shiro. As the intense heat surrounded him, Sendak’s strong arms holding him close, Shiro lost the fight to stay awake any longer. He was safe. In Sendak’s arms, Shiro was safe. With that last thought, Shiro drifted off into another deep sleep. 

Waking up again, Shiro found himself in his dark, cold cell again. To be honest, he didn’t know if the whole thing hadn’t just been a fever dream. But looking down at his right hand, the evidence roared loudly against that thought. He’d been in this cell long enough for the chill to set in deep inside his bones. 

Shiro was too preoccupied with his thoughts to hear the cell lock click and the door swish open. He didn’t actually notice anyone coming inside the cell before a big hand landed on his shoulder, a deep, rumbling voice calling his designation. 

“Champion.” The Commander’s big hand carefully squeezed his shoulder. 

Turning around to lay on his back, Shiro looked up into the Galra’s narrowed yellow eyes, but he didn’t really see the Commander. The big looming man leaned down towards him and Shiro was sure his eyes were crossed as he tried to focus on the Galra. 

Sendak’s weight as he sat down, made the metal bench creak. The Commander turned sideways, hands supporting his massive weight as he stared at Shiro. Staring back, Shiro noted everything about Sendak’s face. 

Reaching up, Shiro dragged his fingers through the fluff on Sendak’s cheeks, the big, scary Galra leaning into the tough as he closed his eyes. A loud, bone vibrating purr started up, encouraging Shiro to explore the Commander’s face, his fingers carded upwards to Sendak’s fluffy ears. 

A loud groan escaped Sendak’s lips as his big head fell down to Shiro’s chest, for a second rendering him breathless. The mauve fluffy ears caressed each side of Shiro’s face, the happy twitching tickling his skin. Confusion rode deep inside Shiro, but he couldn’t help the small feeling of adoration and happiness at the big Galra’s display. 

He lost time of how long they rested like that, neither of them saying anything, just seeking comfort in each other’s embrace. An understanding settled deep inside Shiro that night, an understanding that would build their trust in each other and eventually make way for genuine love. 

From that day on, Shiro was moved from his cell to live on board Sendak’s ship, to live in his - their - quarters. Sendak looked at him as if Shiro had hung the stars and Shiro wouldn’t be surprised if he looked just as lovestruck as the Galra Commander. 

Even though the emperor still demanded Shiro to fight, his life as a prisoner had turned into something good after months of suffering. Sendak loved him with every fiber in his being, proving it with his constant quests to find Shiro’s crewmates and give them the best chance at life that he could. 

He never hid his feelings for Shiro, openly cuddling him whenever they had a moment to themselves. And even though Sendak’s fleet feared and respected his command, life onboard the dimly lit cruiser had become somewhat lighter. Every now and then, Shiro caught Sendak’s second in command smiling at the two of them. 

“Sendak.” Shiro pushed, making the Galra snort at him. 

“Shiro.” Sendak retorted with a glint in his eyes. 

“What is this? What does this mean?” He asked, a fond smile crossing his lips where he lay cocooned inside Sendak’s huge arms. 

“It is...a promise if you will it.” Sendak started carefully, mouth thinning as his raspy tongue retreated from Shiro’s skin, eyes narrowing in what Shiro had learned to be Sendak’s way of showing insecurity. 

“Of what?” Shiro whispered, hand reaching up to fondly caress the fluff leading up to Sendak’s ears. 

“Eternity.” Sendak whispered, closing his eyes as he enjoyed Shiro’s caress. 

“Of love.” He continued shortly after. 

“A mate bonding.” Sendak opened his eyes, fear of rejection so clearly shining through. 

A mate bond. Galra’s mated for life. Shiro brought up every memory he had on the matter, remembering how Sendak had talked of one day finding an equal to offer his life to. To think that Sendak saw Shiro as that someone, brought tears to his eyes and warmed his heart. 

Folding his arms around Sendak’s solid neck, he pulled the insecure Galra down into a soft kiss. The touch of lips deepening as their emotions mixed together. He didn’t think happiness like this would ever come his way, especially not after Kerberos and yet, here they were. 

The most feared Commander in emperor Zarkon’s ranks wanted him as his mate, saw him as an equal worthy of his own rank. Shiro couldn’t help the smile that eventually broke their kiss. 

“I would be honored, Sendak.” Shiro had never been more certain of anything in his life and as Sendak’s face broke into a huge toothy grin, a poor copy of a human smile, Shiro knew he would be happy for as long as he lived. 

~ End


End file.
